Self Staying at Kansas
Bill Self has reached an agreement on a new contract with Kansas, just days after leading the Jayhawks to their first NCAA basketball title in 20 years.
Self met with athletic director Lew Perkins on Wednesday and Thursday, and they emerged at an afternoon news conference to say they had reached general agreement on a deal that is still being finalized.
The deal would replace the contract extension Self signed last year that pays him $1.375 million annually.
“I don’t know what the big deal is, to be honest,” Self said, referring to the speculation over his future. “These last three weeks, four weeks, have been an absolute whirlwind.
“I don’t know if a guy deserves to have as much fun as I’ve had,” he said.
Self has indicated several times since winning the NCAA championship on Monday night that he was inclined to remain at Kansas. There has been speculation that Oklahoma State, where he played and coached, might make a megabucks offer to lure him away.
On Wednesday night, Self said he heard from Oklahoma State and felt obligated to discuss the open job there – not because he wanted to leave Kansas but because of his “true affection” for his alma mater.
“There was serious interest in listening to Oklahoma State and hopefully helping them in a way that would put their basketball program in a position that they want to be in.”
Self’s Jayhawks won a school-record 37 games and beat Memphis for the national title. Since replacing Roy Williams in 2003, Self is 142-32 with four regular-season Big 12 titles.
Self’s new deal is likely to make him one of college basketball’s highest-paid coaches. Florida coach Billy Donovan is believed to be the highest among coaches at public universities, after he signed a six-year contract worth $3.5 million per year in 2007.
by: Staff Writers – Email Us
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